First goal done and a good way into second goal. But during the summer the bus back to the station is really irregular, and now it's been re-routed while they dig up part of the campus, so I'm thinking maybe I should head home now rather than risk missing the bus later and getting stuck on campus and then having to catch a late train. Except I know deep down that that's just an excuse to go home early and do no more work!

Gah. I'll do another hour.

Time for me to get back to work. I've been dossing around and doing nothing for the last week, since handing in my first year upgrade report. My first year viva's next Friday and my supervisor's given me a long list of things to do before then, so time to pull my finger out and get some things done!

Goals for this afternoon

1.) Write up notes from supervision meeting
2.) Write summary notes of first year report

Hey that's great. I have some great real-life friends who I met through a newspaper talkboard. Ten years later we're still friends (and most of us are still on the same talkboard too, though I don't go there as often as I used to). Forums like this can lead to building up a lot of shared history and understanding of other people you've never even met - so why not meet a few? :-)

Anyway, I'm East Midlands based - wonder if anyone else is???

Meeting with supervisors went well, they finally accepted my latest version of the final section of my report.

Goal 2 - type up small changes on final section following meeting
Goal 3 - cut 1500 words from the report
Goal 4 - check numbering of sections
Goal 5 - format and print out
Goal 6 - get it ring-bound and handed in. YAY!!!!

Morning everyone!

I was working till 11pm last night and feeling very despondant, but got up early and had a really good swimming session. Now I actually feel loads more positive. I have a meeting with my supervisors in 40 minutes to look over the final section of my first year report, and then the rest of the day is finishing off editing and getting the thing spiral-bound and handed in. Yay!

After that's done, I intend to do nothing on my PhD work until Monday!

So, goal 1 - prepare for meeting with supervisors

Oh dear, sounds like we're all having a bad day today!

I think I've about finished the section I was struggling with. As much as I can anyway. My supervisors can rip it apart again tomorrow morning, oh joy. Now editing my report, as it's still way too long and I really don't see where I can make cuts!

Never mind. This work will not last forever! One day we will be free of it!

Good luck, Teek!

I'm feeling really down as well today. Well, all week really, thanks to a pisser of a phone call with my parents at the weekend. I think I'm old enough for their indifference and lack of understanding not to bother me any more, and then Mum goes on about what a shame it is that I'm such a failure in life, and suddenly I feel like a whining child again. Pathetic.

Must put this out of my mind and get on with some work!!

Tomorrow I have to hand in my first year report. Yesterday my supervisors said it was all fine apart from one section which needed a lot of work. And now I'm staring at that section and wondering what the hell I'm supposed to do to make it better. Gah.

Goal 1 - work out what the hell to do with this section.

Yay, that's great news! Now you can get a decent night's sleep :-)

Back from a lovely holiday and already I can feel the stress clenching my stomach! That's not good. I went swimming this morning to try to knock the stress out of me so now I'm aching and stressed. Ah well! I just need to learn to relax.

Today I will actually get some work done (unlike the last three days, when I've been trying to kid myself that I actually am still on holiday).

Goal 1 - print off draft first year report and check formatting, numbering of sections etc.

Me either, so disappointed and lonely now! :-(

Oh dear, sounds like it's hard work for everyone today!

I'm very relieved to say I just achieved goal 3. Yay! That means all I have left to do before I go on holiday on Monday is editing and formatting and generally tidying up. That should be manageable. Phew! I feel like I need my holiday now!

Good luck Star-Shaped. Small goals and small steps are the only way I get through it when I have days like that.

Goal 1 achieved, so now I just have goal 3 left. It's a biggie though. Expecting it to take well into the afternoon. But overall I'm going pretty quickly!

Goal 2 done. Now to go back and tackle goal 1!

Ooh well done Ev! Sounds like you deserve a really enjoyable weekend!

Early start today. I've looked through the work left on the draft and I think I can get most of the rewriting done today, if I pull my finger out. And I'd better - I'm off on holiday on Monday and I need it all done and dusted before I go!

So, goals for today:
1.) Merge section on problems with my method into the 'work to be done next year' section
2.) Edit/rewrite the 'work done so far' section
3.) Edit/rewrite the 'work to be done next year' section

If I can get all of that done I'll be ecstatic!

Goal 2 achieved, if I cheat and say I'm only doing as far as the next big lot of changes! Those can wait til tomorrow now. I'm so lazy at the moment! Maybe I'll sort out appendices or something useful like that before calling it a day.